Co-operative Insurance Cup final: Rangers look to make statement of intent and shake off Celtic's manacles

His heated confrontation with Neil Lennon became the defining image of the
most recent Old Firm derby – the occasion that spawned a welter of largely
ersatz controversy – but Ally McCoist on Friday exhibited no diminution of
his habitual appetite for a meeting with Celtic, a taste that will be
gratified when the teams meet for the sixth time this season at Hampden Park
on Sunday.

Dutch dismay: Ally McCoist and Walter Smith go through their notes during Ranger's Europa League defeat to PSV EindhovenPhoto: PA

“Brilliant. I can’t wait,” said the Rangers assistant manager. “These are great occasions and this gives us an ideal opportunity to get the first piece of silverware in the cupboard.

“Celtic will fancy their chances, of course they will, but we know that if we play to our strengths and play well then there is no reason why we shouldn’t win the game.

“We will have a bit more strength in the attacking areas. Last time we didn’t really have our full personnel, but it is a big factor for us to be stronger in attack.

“We were disappointed to lose at Celtic Park, but it is how you react that matters most. We’ve had two fantastic wins in the league since then and a great performance over in Eindhoven. So I think we are all right - we are in fine fettle.”

The occasion, of course, is the Co-operative Insurance Cup final – the last to be underwritten by the sponsors after 12 years and £15 million worth of support – but this collision of the Glasgow clubs is additionally meaningful because the trophy is held by Rangers, although McCoist declared that the circumstance would not sharpen his players’ appetite especially.

“We want to retain it, yes, and we want to win it for Rangers. We’re not wanting it as a way of stopping Celtic – we want to keep hold of silverware no matter who the opposition are. We want it for ourselves.

“After recent games, though, winning it would be a fantastic statement to make. This club and our fans dictate we must attempt to win every tournament. It’s been like that for over 100 years.

“The pressure to win trophies is always massive.”

McCoist also discounted the Walter Smith factor, the last appearance of the Rangers manager at Hampden or at a cup final after his second spell in charge at Ibrox. “It’s not really about Walter. I know in fairytale land if you are a Rangers fan that Walter would go out winning this that and the next thing but the players aren’t going to try any harder because of that,” said McCoist.

“They are going to give it everything they’ve got to win the cup and Walter wouldn’t want that any other way.”

It is, however, the case that Celtic go into this match as favourites and although their assistant manager, John Mjallby, recited the mantra that ‘form goes out the window in this fixture’, the fact is that the four derbies played this year have simply confirmed the growing strength of the Parkhead side, who have won three of them.

Rangers’ chances were not helped by the news that the impressive Kyle Bartley is out of the reckoning because of a knee injury that might be as serious as cruciate ligament damage, but they are at least able to look to Steven Naismith for inspiration in the attacking areas McCoist spoke about.

Naismith, the victim of a recurring hamstring injury, returned as a half-time substitute in the Europa League defeat by PSV Eindhoven on Thursday night and reported no ill-effects. “I got to the stage where the hamstring just couldn’t go on so it’s been just great to come back,” said Naismith.

“When you sprint and you really open up, that’s when worry that it’s going to go again, but that didn’t happen. I’m fit, I feel fine and I’ve enjoyed positive experiences at Hampden recently.

“I scored the winner against Motherwell in the semi final and I scored for Scotland, so it’s been good.”

Aside from whatever transpires on the field of play, as much attention has been devoted to ancillary events elsewhere and officers from Strathclyde Police paid visits to both clubs on Friday to remind management and players to observe the bounds of propriety.

“They have a job to do around Old Firm games and they appreciate the importance the football has for everybody,” said McCoist. “They just want to do what is right in terms of their duties.

“They had a wee chat with the boys in a relaxed manner.

"The Chief Superintendent spoke and it was fine. It is something I can recall happening on occasion when I was a player. I think they came in the dressing room once or twice.”

The boys in blue hope for a quiet day. The boys in light blue would like to make it a rather more raucous afternoon, but for that to happen Rangers will have to shake off the manacles Celtic have clamped on them since New Year – otherwise the first domestic honour of the season will be annexed to the east end of Glasgow.